Forgetting
by Jack Barakitten
Summary: I got the idea from 'A haunting in Connecticut' but I'm sure I twisted enough to make it my own. I tag some of my characters in other stories I write so that all my books are connected, if you pay attention, you might catch one.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter one._

I was staring out my window and watched as the rain trickled down. It looked like blood, but I knew I was hallucinating. I didn't come to think of it, but even then I still did. Ever since that night at the church, I've been seeing things that shouldn't be there. I thought back remembering every detail, another perk from this sickness I had just recently developed.

My family has never been religious, but faith didn't bring me to this church. Death did. It was nineteen eighty-six, November tenth, ten-forty one in the morning in St. Angela's Church.

Father Derek was talking about something, but I didn't hear. I was trying so hard not to cry, standing up at the front. He stepped back and I knew it was my turn to say some pity speech.

"Aphrodite, would you like to say your speech?" He asked putting his hand lightly on my elbow as if I couldn't walk.

He was fairly young for a priest, I didn't understand why he could throw away his life to God when he could mate for life. Seemed that's how I ended up here on this planet. I knew I was an accident, I didn't want to say anything because I had no purpose to.

I stumbled my way to the stand and clutched the wrinkled paper in my pocket. When I looked up at the stain glass window, I saw a boy in blood. Drenched and dirty with what looked like soot on his face, and writing on his body. Or was it pictures? Either way, he looked at me with those blue dead eyes.

"Oh my god!" I screamed, everyone looked panicked and the people crying finally stopped. They looked up, but the boy just kept looking at me. I thought they could all see him too. I looked at Father, Maybe religious people could see things? But he looked at me like I was possessed.

"Talk to me about whatever after, just continue." he said with a croak. When I turned to the confused crowd, The boy was now in front of the Altar. I had a lump in my throat, but I managed, my shaking was almost as if I was sad.

"My parents were loving and hard working," I paused. _A lie_. I thought. "I know it will be tough, but I know they would have had wanted all of us to be happy when they were gone. Like-" I paused again. _He's not real. Forget it, forget._ My own prep talk doesn't help, but with this crowd of crying crows, I had to finish. I could throw up when I'm done.

"Like when we went camping and I was afraid of the dark, they said, 'Even when we are not there, our love is like the sun shining, always there, shining light.." I trailed of, my eyes were shut, tight. I didn't want to know what I would see. "I take it that our light may be burnt out, but I'll always know that their love is there, and murder will never change that." I finished, not looking at the page.

Sure I missed some of the sappy stuff, My parents fought constantly and my dad would drink and my mom would scream. I was never mentioned, some people thought I didn't even talk I was so quiet. I opened my eyes and turned from the Altar. I screeched in horror.

A pale gray woman with scringly draping black hair and sightless eyes and her face was stained with bloody tears, she was floating and she even had a trail of fingers behind her. I ran the other way into the girls washroom, everything at this church was old, so I stood there in the rusted mirror and looked myself over. My pupils were dilated and my brown eyes looked red.

I remember Father coming up to me and asked what was wrong. I told him, because I don't care what people think anymore. I felt like an angry child. My parents death only brought uneasy silence into the house.

"You might have something, I'll take you to the hospital where they can check it out." Father said, I knew he never believed in demons or ghosts. But what I saw was neither. I called it the living dead.

Looking out my room window out into the city of Charles Bay, everyone was old fashioned, and if you wanted anything like a computer or a TV, you would have to drive into Glendor.

"Pretty isn't it?" I heard Kyle say. I turned to face him. He was as thin as a stick, pale as chalk. He had half-curly sandy blond hair that stuck up all the time, he had blue eyes and his face always had a sick look to it. He had purple ringlets under his eyes all the time, but he was the cutest thing ever to me. I didn't know how he felt about me, an orphan as his best friend. Kyle has cancer.

After Father assisted me to St. Charles Hospital to get blood tests done, it turns out I was okay, but they are still keeping me here until I find somewhere to go. My Parents were only children, as well as their parents. So I was stuck here.

I walked over to the sink and splashed cold water on my face. The tiles on the floor of the room looked like they belonged in a public shower room. The texture felt cold on my bare feet.

I was allowed to spend my time with Kyle until his mom came to pick him up. He told me they had a beautiful house up in lower Glendor, but it was a four hour drive. I met his mom millions of times, it was almost as if she was my mom, as I wished she was.

Looking in the mirror now, I saw the same face I did in the churches' mirror. I had smooth and nice white skin, not as pale as Kyle's, but just a little below average. My brown eyes were almost a bloody red and the doctors kept on commenting about them. They didn't know what was wrong with me. I got nose bleeds constantly and they say I 'Hallucinate.'

My black hair was long and curly, I would have been very beautiful if I was taken care of. My mom said I was pretty, but I never listened. I don't even remember the sound of her voice all I remember are her screams.

I was very thin, I didn't eat much, not that I had an eating disorder, it was because I was sick of hospital food, and dead people made me lose my appetite. I was wearing a pretty gown that was a lavender colour. As I thought about it, I sat on the bed beside Kyle.

"I hope you get better. I really do." I said lightly, almost smoothly.

"I know, you've told me a thousand times, but I have to tell yo-" He stopped just as his mom walked through the door.

"Hello Mrs. Robins." I greeted politely.

"Oh, hello Aphrodite!" She said. "I have some good news." she said unexpectedly. Today wasn't it's usual 'Hello, how are you?' I was guessing. "Aphrodite Weller, would you like to come and live with us?"she said as I automatically turned to Kyle, his eyes lit up.

"Oh, yes!" I started to cry, I knew I would to, it was just after a month that my parents died and I haven't even shed a tear.

Mrs. Robins gave me a hug, and my face was buried in her soft red hair.

"Pack your things, we are going to leave right after I speak to the doctor." she smiled. She left the room and it was only Kyle and I.

"Are you okay with this?" I asked, looking at his face.

"I suggested it!" He said with his cocky smile. "The family talked it over last night." He said. I wanted to hug him so much, but I knew he was in pain. I haven't met anyone of his family but his mother. I walked over to my bed and on the other side was my bag of clothes and items.

"Here, let me help you." He said as he walked over beside me, and picked up my hair brush, and my long coat. "I can't believe you get to see my house!" He said. "I haven't had a best friend since I found out I had cancer." he sighed. He was wearing a navy hood and some jogging pants.

"I'm so glad you wont lose your hair again." I said. He looked up at me.

"Me too, actually." He smiled. I held in my hand my small back pack and a plastic bag of toiletries. Kyle had my sack over his shoulder and my coat.

"I can take them, you know, you really don't have-" I started.

"I'm not going to cripple you know, and I want to help." He said, his pale face looking at mine. It was late out, by the time we came out of the hospital doors, it was black. Snow and rain was falling from the sky.

I heard my bag fall to the ground and Kyle was leaning out into a bush. I closed my eyes until he was done. He threw up, and I hated hearing him, it just made me worry about him more.

"I'm so sorry." He said to me as we both picked up my things. Kyle and I were a couple months apart. My birthday was in March, on the most obvious day. The seventeenth. Kyle's was in January the 23.

I was turning seventeen this year, I couldn't wait.

We finished and Mrs. Robins got us a Taxi. She sat in the front, and gave the driver directions. Kyle fell asleep on the door, so I told Mrs. Robins I was giving him my pillow to use.

I was nervous when I was going to lift his head, because I liked him, I was very good at hiding that. I placed my hand on his cheek that faced the window and lifted his head from the door as lightly as possible, while I adjusted the pillow, his head was on my shoulder.

His eyes opened. He didn't move, I don't think he saw me watching him open his eyes; but he closed them again and I put him on the pillow.

I fell asleep myself, on my bag of clothes. I only slept for two hours of the drive. When I woke up, I looked at Kyle, still sleeping on the pillow. I stared at him the whole way there. I must have fallen asleep again, because I woke up in an attic with a small wooden bed with a comfy mattress, sheets, blankets, and pillows. I looked out the window and sat there for what seemed like a half-hour. I didn't hear Kyle come up the stairs, but he was right behind me.

"This is my room, I picked the attic to escape the wildness of my brother and sister. I'm sleeping in the spare room down stairs on the left, if you need me." He said from the top of the stairs.

"Thank you so much." I said. _I am sleeping in his bed._ I thought. He walked over, gave me a really gentle hug good night and went back down the stairs. I curled up in a ball under the covers and smelled some sweet scent the clung to his bed that I recognized from his clothes. I fell asleep peacefully, and woke up realizing the fact that I didn't have those scary dreams that haunted me. At the hospital, I always had what people call hallucinations, but I know what I saw.

I brushed out my curls into waves. I had my side bangs out and everything else was in one long braid down the middle of my back. I put on a loose gray and black stripped shirt with a round neck line and some skinny jeans. I came down stairs to the room on the left and found the door open with Kyle's eyes open, but he was still laying on his back in bed. His head was tilted in my direction and he said 'Come in.'

I walked over to his bedside.

"Are you okay?" I asked. He nodded at me and looked up again.

"I've been better." he said, looking back at me. "You look nice today." He smiled.

"Aw thank you. Are you up to show me around?" I asked. He nodded again and got out of bed. He was shirtless and was wearing blue PJ's with no socks.

"Oh, my gosh! What happened to your skin!" It was red like a sun burn.

"Just another thing to do with....." He mumbled, I couldn't hear him anymore. He put on a Jersey with the number 64 on it, and I left the room when he put on some pants. He came wobbling his way out of the spare room with a pile of clothes he must have gotten last night. I told him I would take his clothes back to his room and help him down the stairs for breakfast.

I folded them neatly and put them on an old dresser with a mirror on it. I didn't dare look through it.

He had his own bathroom up here. I came back down the stairs to find him waiting by the door frame. His thin hand reached for my shoulders and I put my arm around his waist. He groaned a bit but I got him to the stairs.

They had an old fashioned house, the walls were blue, and I could tell the house was old, because there was stains from water, or just from the wall paper being so old. The railing and stairs were a hazel nut colour and when we got down the stairs, I noticed he had a yellow kitchen with black cupboards.

There was a little girl with her reddish brown hair in pigtails sitting at the brown table. Their mom was in the kitchen making crepes.

"This is Amy she's six, and Danny is down stairs. He is twelve." Kyle said.

As soon as Kyle finished, I was guessing it was his dad that entered the room.

"Good morning, you must be Aphrodite." He said. "I am Michael Robins, but you can call me dad, if you like." he said patting Amy's head. I could tell where Kyle got his hair colour from. He had light blonde hair, but Kyle's was a sandy blond, not a solid colour like his dads.

"Oh, thank you!" I said. Sure I sounded extravagantly happy all of the time, but no one actually knew me. Kyle knew very little. He knew I wasn't happy, and he knew that I was lonely.

"I'm Mary Robins as you know," Mary said. "I'm going shopping today while Kyle is at the Hospital, I could get you some clothes or something." She said smiling as she brought the crepes into the dinning room and on the table.

"Oh, that sounds great." I said. I helped Kyle to the table and sat as close to him as possible. Amy sat next to me. She was playing with a doll, and Danny came up with a game system. He had a brownish colour of hair, and he never once looked up. He sat beside his dad.

"Danny, Amy, this is Aphrodite. She's going to be living with us for a while." Kyle said. Danny finally looked up at me, said a quick 'Hi' and resumed to what he was doing.

"Kyle talks about you all the time!" Amy said. I didn't know what to do, I just sat there.

"It was about her moving in, Amy." Kyle said as a little bit of colour met his cheeks.

"But before.." She trailed off.

Mrs. Robins said 'Dish up!' before Amy could go into details. We ate quietly, but occasionally Mr. Or Mrs. Robins would ask me questions. I helped Kyle get ready afterwards, he says we can share a bathroom, and I decided, I am calling Kyle's parents Aunt Mary, and Uncle M. Kyle sat on the bed and I got my coat, and sat beside him. He had a sad look to his face.

"Hey, have you ever dated?" He asked. His blue eyes stuck on mine. His lips parted as if he were going to speak. His short ruffled hair was messed up, and his thin body was so still.

"No." I said flatly. "You?"

"No." He said. "But I do have a crush." He said smiling.

I sat there. I was completely frozen and I had the sickest feeling wash over me.

"No, I just kidding, just kidding.." We laughed. I didn't laugh because it was funny, I laughed with relief. He had dimples when he smiled, I loved it.

"Come on, Kyle, you are going to be late!" he turned his head from where his mom's voice came from and looked at me again, my stomach dropped, I never realized how much I liked him until now. I felt like hugging him all day.

"I guess I will have to give you a tour when we are back." He said.

His room was old fashioned, but yet, empty too. He had nothing but clothes, a dresser, a light, bed, and a floor. His bathroom had more things, but they were just the basics.

I helped Kyle down the stairs and into the old truck that must have been his fathers.

Kyle let me decide if I wanted the side or the middle, because there wasn't a back seat. I choose the middle because he needed to get out before I would have to and it would be uncomfortable for him to be squished in the middle. I was a tad bit smaller. His mom started the truck, and we were off.

We talked a lot on the drive there. Aunt Mary walked with Kyle into the hospital, and got him settled. He waved before they left and I sat there until Aunt Mary came back.

I moved into the seat that Kyle was sitting in, I felt nervous about being alone with Aunt Mary, but I was sure I would survive. I had a lot of hallucinations at the hospital, and at a church or any old place with a history so being with her couldn't be as bad.

There was a pool of blood underneath the truck, it pooled out, and all I did was just sit there, and analyze the scene. The blood was thick, and had tiny bubbles in it, I saw it reach the drain. I was so sick of being afraid all of the time. Aunt Mary finally got back, and the blood was gone. We left the parking lot and headed for a store.

"Do you think it would be okay if I called you 'Aunt Mary?'" I asked, I intended to ask her before, but every time I wanted to, a lump made its way to my throat. Even though I know they can't argue about it, I was still nervous about asking.

"Oh, sure. That sounds great!" She said. We talked more than I thought we would. I asked her how she met Uncle M, and what Kyle was like when he was little. Out came the usual, the embarrassing stories, which weren't that bad.

I picked out a really pretty dress, it was white with red flowers and ribbon around my ribs that had a bow at the back. I think Kyle will like it. I can't believe I like a guy with cancer, of all guys, even celebrities, Kyle Robins.

I got some jeans and pretty shirts. I got a pair of shoes too. I wanted to use the money I had from what my parents left me, I didn't want Aunt Mary paying for me, it would have made me feel guilty, but she said I must save that money for a new car, or a place to live when I move out. So she got her way and pretty much gave me a whole new wardrobe.

We went for lunch, and I was finally able to pay for myself. I gave Aunt Mary my wave of 'Thank-you's' and 'You really didn't have to do that's'. But she said 'Hey, I was a teenager once' and the 'It's okay, someone needs to spoil you.'

We had coffee and a sandwich, and after all that shopping, it was like she was my best friend. Which felt very nice, I have never actually had a best friend that was a girl. Aunt Mary enrolled me in high school, and I would start in a week at Kyle's school.

He went when he could, and studied very hard on the days he missed when he wasn't at school. Aunt Mary thought it would be very important that he got an education because if Kyle got over cancer, he would need a well paying job.

I was very smart too, so Aunt Mary didn't have to put me back a grade, because I had always read books and I had a tutor when my parents were alive, He taught me in advance, so I was even smarter than someone in eleventh grade.

When we came to the Hospital to pick up Kyle, Aunt Mary sent me in alone, because she had to call Uncle M about something.

I walked up to the nurse on my floor, he had black hair and blue eyes. He looked about thirty, but he was young looking. His name tag said he was Mr. Gray.

"Excuse me, but where can I find Kyle Robins?" I asked as politely as I could.

"Oh, he is in the examining room. Number 264. Up a level, down the right." He said, looking at me and what looked like a little boy's smile flashed across his face. He resumed looking at the clipboard in his hand as I walked to the elevator. It was deserted so I helped myself. I went in and stood in the corner of the closet-looking-elevator.

When the doors closed. I sat there and closed my eyes, I flashed them back open, I felt a jolt going through my body. I couldn't breathe. There was water in the elevator, it went to the top, I was floating up. I was panicking, and screaming, _water, something no one can hear me through._ I thought. I relaxed, because I swear I was dying, leaving this place. That I had been abandoned at for a month.

A red colour was dripping into the clear water, and I knew to my horror, that it was blood. I wondered who's blood I kept on seeing.

It climbed down the water like a branching tree. I closed my eyes hard, I knew I had water coming out of my eyes. _Out of my eyes!_ I opened them again and a bell dinged. The doors opened, and I stepped out panting like I had been running. I turned to see back into the elevator as the doors closed. There was water on the floor, I was scared, I have never hallucinated and there being a sign that that had ever happened. I took a drink of water from the fountain, and calmed myself down. _You don't want __to freak out Kyle_. I thought to myself, and I was right. I shouldn't do that.

I walked to the room 264, and Kyle was just getting off the odd looking machine. He had a few words to the doctor, he looked really mad. When he saw me through the door, his mood changed and he gave me his little boy smile. He put his Jersey back on and then came out the door.

"Need help?" I asked.

"Yeah, the doctors say I should rest up, they are going to continue the treatment on me." he mumbled and I did what I had this morning and helped him as if he had broken his ankle.

"How was it?" I asked. He looked down at his feet like he was going to trip over something.

"Boring as usual, nowhere near as fun as if you were with me like you used to be when I got exams done." he said with a smile. I have never fought with Kyle, so I never knew what he looked like when he was mad. In that room was the first time.

"Your mom enrolled me in your high school. I am in every class you are in." I said as we got outside. It was beginning of another snowfall, I could tell it was going to be a cold winter.

I turned to look at his face.

"Oh god, that is perfect! I don't really have any friends there because I am hardly ever around. I don't take P.E. Though, I wanted to be a runner when I was older, but then I got cancer." He said in a faint voice. It was getting dark again, but before we went out on the long drive, Aunt Mary stopped at Old Times Restaurant. Kyle didn't really have and appetite, but he ordered a Italian salad, and I ordered spaghetti and Garlic Toast, I gave Kyle one of my pieces, and Aunt Mary ordered Pasta.

"Thank-you Aunt Mary." I said, taking the first bite.

"Oh, you are welcome, Honey." She said and smiled. I could tell where Kyle got his eyes from.

"I told Aphrodite about you when you were a baby." She teased Kyle.

"Oh, that can't be good." Kyle said, as he played around with his salad. Kyle went to the bathroom three times to vomit. I could tell his mom was very worried.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter two._

We made it home at eleven and we were just sorting out rooms. There was another spare room on the fourth floor, so I told them if I could take the one closest to Kyle's room. They said it was alright, and they would switch the rooms around in the morning.

I got my own bathroom after all, but it was across the hall. I had a very big room, too big for a girl like me.

Uncle M and Aunty Mary said that they could either buy me a new bed, or I could keep the one that is in there, I said what ever was easiest.

Aunty Mary suggested that I should get my own bed, to make myself more comfortable. So we would go shopping again tomorrow.

Kyle showed me the basement first, which was Danny's room. The whole basement was made of bricks so I don't know why he wanted to be down _here_.

Danny's room had posters of Star Wars, old cars, and some rock bands covering his walls, so you couldn't really tell about the bricks.

He had a simple bed, and a desk with papers flooding over it. The light was very dim, I didn't know how either of them could see in here. But, I may as well get used to the dark, because I don't think I will ever get over this illness.

The basement was pretty empty, there was a glass door with fogged windows and a wall on the right side.

"What's in there?" I asked, Kyle looked at me and said 'Storage.' I mumbled an 'oh' and he took me up the stairs that led to the dinning room and the kitchen, which were connected.

The dinning room was a brownish colour with wooden trim on the wall separating the two different shades of brown. They had a big window over-looking the front lawn and cushions on the ledges. _A good thinking place. _I thought.

They had some family photos on the walls that I was going to look at in the morning. I was just going to get a good look of the house, then look over the details in the morning.  
We went into the living room, with Beige wallpaper and an old TV. The couch was brass with cushions on the golden frame. He led me up stairs, which was where Aunt Mary and Uncle M's room along with Amy's and another bathroom with a hall closet.

Aunt Mary and Uncle M's room had a normal queen-sized bed with a wooden headboard that was painted white. They had a nice, soft faded green room with a white night stand that held a lamp and some more pictures. I was guessing it was Aunty Mary's dressing mirror table, one much like Kyle's, just he didn't have what looked a lot like a tea tray with a hair brush and perfumes on it.

They had a walk-in closet with a very large wardrobe, but it didn't seem so large once I realize two people used it.

Amy's room was a baby-blue and had a very pretty doll house in the corner, and a single bed with pink covers and an old full-length mirror on the wooden door. She had a dresser with a clown painted on the side of it, Kyle must had drawn that, he was a great artist.

And I was the only one on the fourth floor, only me and that empty guest room. I got my own hall closet too, but I told Aunt Mary I wouldn't need it, so they could use it for towels for my bathroom.

I slept in Kyle's room again, it was quiet in the house, and every one had been sleeping four three hours, except for me. I couldn't sleep. Every time I tried, I had the feeling a dead person was looming over me. And their scary sightless eyes looking me in the face. I wanted to see if Kyle was sleeping, so I quietly crept down the stairs and looked around the corner, the room was dark, but light enough I could see Kyle's thin figure under the blankets.

"Aphrodite?" His weak voice called. I was shocked to see he was awake, I was going to run but up and pretend I didn't hear anything, but I didn't leave. I stood there for a second, but he turned over to face the large window on the opposite side of the room from me. _He was sleep-talking, great!_ But I was more shocked to see he was talking about me. I walked towards his bed.

"Don't leave me, I love you!" He started, was he crying? I saw the glittering of his eye as it shined down his freakishly pale skin. _Boy with cancer likes you back!_ I thought again.

"I...just told you..."He trailed, "That I loved you...... and your.....gone." I disobeyed my brain, and I took my hand and caressed his face, when I realized what I was doing, his eyes flickered open.

"Aphrodite?" He called again, but in a different way than he had before.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep and I wanted to talk to you." I said. I was so happy that he felt the same way about me, but I _wasn't_ going to tell him what I just heard.

"It's okay." He said weakly, he pulled himself up so he was propped up on the headboard, and patted the other side of the double bed. He rubbed his face, then realized that he had tears on his cheeks. He pulled his finger back to see the water on it. He acted as if I never saw and wiped whatever was left away.

"You wont believe me when I tell you," I said, "But ever since the night at the church, I've been seeing things that just can't be there." I said. But he just looked through my eyes like open doors.

It looked like he was pending over his answer to believe me or not. He looked so tired I regret waking him up.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have woken you up, I can go..." I shook my head, and was getting up when he placed his cold hand over mine. I froze there and I sat back down, he didn't take his hand off mine, but he smiled lightly.

"I have been having pretty weird dreams lately, so what you are saying doesn't seem weird to me at all." He said. So his dreams about me are weird. _Okay..._ I thought, but there was no time for my thoughts now, as I said, I don't care about what other people think anymore.

"I 'Hallucinate' as you know, but they _are_ there. And I can feel them." I finally spat out.

"Them, who's 'them'?" He asked, looking puzzled. I closed my eyes, and focused on his hand on mine.

"The dead people, the _blood._" I said, remembering in the elevator, with the area with the branching blood. "I have been seeing these ever since the funeral," I paused, not sure if I wanted to finish the sentence, but I did. "Even when I was in a place with a lot of people, I get nightmares, that's why I came down here, I kept getting the feeling something with sightless eyes would be watching me." I finally said. _Oh well, you already moved in, you can't get kicked out now._ I thought to myself. _You are insane._

He looked worried, and had his lips curled.

"When I gave my speech at the church, I saw a boy drenched in blood, and a woman with a trail of fingers. I am _not_ hallucinating. That's how I met you, Father Derek thought I had cancer because I told him the things I saw. But all the tests came back negative." I finished.

"So that's why you where there. I always thought you were some mystery girl." He said, finally letting go of my hand, and placing his on his lap.

_There, it's out, you insane, crazy girl._ I thought again.

"I don't think you are crazy." He said as if he just read my mind.

Just as he said that, my first dead-person sighting happened here in this house. The same boy I saw was standing behind the door. His face was turned to look at the hinges and his head slightly turning it's way around. The body didn't move an inch.

"One thing that happens in the night, something comes out and expects a fight. Bloody eyes, that don't even see, but some how they know it's you and me. The deaf hears the screams, and the blind can see me. And this twisted story doesn't ease." I said, reciting a poem I saw.

Looking at myself in the mirror at the church, made me want to cry. I had no one to talk to about anything. _They were all dead_. I wanted to read what I wrote about my parents, Sure I hated them for acting childish, but I was _sure_ there was a happy moment somewhere in this twisted life of mine.

I dug in my pocket, picking out the drenched red paper. Written in blood, a poem.

"One thing that happens in the night..." I recited.

I recited the rest of the poem with myself in the church. My voice hadn't changed, it didn't even sound at all like mine.

"This story doesn't please. Oh, please, help me." I finished. Kyle looked at me oddly, but turned to look where my eyes were.

"I.....Can see him." He said. I didn't move at all. _Oh my God._ I thought. I got off the bed and turned on the crystal lamp beside Kyle.

Once it was on, I took Kyle's face in my hands and looked in his eyes. His pupils were dilated and his beautiful blue eyes now had blood streaming through them.

"Oh, no!" I cried. He held my hand that was still lightly placed on his cheek. I bent over and buried my face in the sheets, he watched me with those cursed eyes. I stood up and helped him out oh his bed, and walked up to the mirror with his hands in mine. He looked at his eyes, and screamed in horror.

Aunt Mary and Uncle M came dashing, as well as Amy. Even Danny got out of bed to see what happened.

"Oh my God! What happened to you!" Aunt Mary said taking his face in her hands, and looking into his eyes. "Lets go down stairs!" Aunt Mary was crying now, and everyone made their way to the dinning room. We all sat down and aunt Mary began.

"Do you think it is the medication?" She asked. I was guessing she didn't notice it in my eyes, but I had it too.

"I don't think so." I said, Aunt Mary and uncle M were shocked that I answered, I continued before they thought I was trying to be smart.

"I have it too." I said. I walked over to Aunt Mary, got down on my knees beside her, and looked in her eyes.

"What happened to you!" She said, I wanted to come clean and tell her, but I knew that would only make her regret taking me in.

So I said what the doctor's assumed.

"I hallucinate and I just started that on November tenth. The day of my parents funeral." I finally said, using the whole 'I am sick With Hallucinations.'

"You are going to go to the Hospital with Kyle tomorrow, and we are getting it checked." Uncle M said. Aunt Mary said that it was a good idea, and for everyone to get some rest.

I got up to go back to my spot beside Kyle. His hair was stuck up, and he was sweating a little.

Red water was falling from the walls. Dripping down to the floor and pooling.

"Kyle, do you see it?" I asked in a low whisper. I could tell he could, he had a odd look on his face, and he was staring at the walls.

"See what?" Aunt Mary said. I turned to look at her worried face. By the time I looked back, the walls were ordinary. I looked over at Kyle with confused eyes.

"Sorry, I'm just tired." I said.

"Off to bed, now before you drop to the floor." Uncle M said. I helped Kyle to his room and I put a cold cloth with some holy water that Father Derek gave me. I walked up stairs and suffered.

The light was dim, but it was enough to wake me up. It was six o'clock in the morning, and no one was up. I felt grungy so I decided that I would have a shower.

I was lucky that my mom had blonde hair, so I didn't have to use wax on my legs. My dad had black hair, so that's where I got mine from.

I used Kyle's shampoo and the soap. He had an ordinary bathroom, with a bath tub and the curtains that fully circled me.

The water was warm and relaxing. I changed into some of the clothes Aunty Mary got me.

I had on a brown sweater, it was more like a shirt. It had short sleeves and a V-neck, and I also had on some new jeans. I put on a necklace that my mom gave me when I turned sixteen. It was a golden rose.

I came down the stairs, but only got half-way before I bumped into Kyle.

"Let me see your eyes." I said. He was looking down when I said, and I wanted to see if they had gotten better.

He looked, and they were fine. But he wasn't looking at me.

"Oh God." He mumbled. I knew there was someone standing beside me, because Kyle's eyes grew red again. He took my hand and we ran like heck. We hid in the closet on the third floor.

"What did you see?" I asked He told me whatever it was, it was indescribable. We sat in there for fifteen minutes, then decided that we should come out before his parents came and found us.

"I'm guessing your eyes will go bloody red every time you see something." I assumed. He looked at when he climbed out of the closet.

"How come yours are always red?" He asked. I never thought of that, I just assumed bad things happen to good people. Maybe I shouldn't be good. Looking at Kyle's face, made me regret thinking that.

"I don't know, but I hope to find out."I said. My hair was extra curly because I had a shower, and it was all in my face when I looked down at me feet. Kyle pushed my hair back with his fingers.

"Don't look down, you look way prettier if your looking up." He said. I was beginning to think that this wasn't really a friendship anymore.

The Doctors said they didn't know what caused our eyes to do that, and we had none of the symptoms of any of the illnesses that would have made our eyes do that.

I got to stay with Kyle today, while Aunt Mary got the bed out of the news paper clipping I picked out. I watched him while he got his treatment, the one he said he was getting yesterday.

It broke my heart to see him here, when he could be painting, or learning something at school, whatever normal boys did.

I got my room organized, Uncle M switched the rooms when he got out of work. Uncle M owned a car company, and was home everyday at four.

Instead of a regular bed, I got one with three brass frames around the mattress and black legs. I had a violet bed spread and silky sheets. I had old hardwood on my floors, and a dainty blue wallpaper. I had a huge Bay window that had a wide window ledge, much like the one in the Dinning room. On the third day while Kyle was receiving part two of his treatment, Aunt Mary and I made beautiful pink silk cushions with purple buttons and lace, and put them on the ledge. I had a beautiful chandelier that was already in the room when I moved in, and I had I make-up table just like Aunt Mary's and Kyle's. I had a huge wooden wardrobe to hold all of my new clothes, and I felt very guilty. None of this should have been mine. Why did they care about me so much?

I felt a little bit better when I looked at the finished version, it hardly looks like I had anything in there, the room was so big. It wasn't monstrously huge, but it was bigger than what I was used to.

Everyday after for the rest of the week, I hung out with Kyle, some days I would drive us into Glendor and we would go out to lunch or for a movie.

I woke up in to not-yet-used-too room, and I realized it was the first day I would start high school. I dragged myself out of bed and opened the wardrobe and slipped on a brown round-neck with a black ribbon stitched through the middle, and a bow in the back. I had a long, draping thin sweater that Aunt Mary gave me because it shrunk in the wash, and I was quite shorter than her. I added nice black dress pants to go with the sweater's whiteness. I looked like was rich.

My hair was in ringlets today, and I wore no make up. I was gifted with soft skin, and thick lashes, I didn't need it.

I came to wake up Kyle but he was already awake, and just changing into a shirt.

"Oh, I am so sorry." I said when I came up. He didn't realize that I was there and he just turned around so I could see his bare back. I felt like walking up to him and hugging him from behind, but I controlled myself. He wore a gray long-sleeved tee, and jeans.

After breakfast, we took Kyle's VW bug, that he never used, because he couldn't drive, but he kept it anyway so he could play around with it. He told me I should drive, and I guess I could trust him, but I didn't want this to break _on_ the road. It ran better than I thought it would, and we got it to move.

We got into the parking lot and it was over filled with snubby and rude looking people. The girls dressed like strippers, and the guys looked mean, and huffled.

How could such a fragile boy go _here?_ I thought. I parked fourth spot from the doors, and circled the bug to help Kyle.

Guys were whistling at me already. I was angry at their rudeness, and I already had my heart set for someone else. The sick one.

Some girls liked Kyle, but none of them were really popular or losers. The nobodies. He told me, and I could tell when a girl with short brown hair came running up. She looked excited and when she did, she looked like she was twelve.

"Who's your friend Ky?" She said. _She has a cute nickname for him. I wonder what made her think she could throw herself at any guy?_ I thought. Okay, I was just a little jealous.

"This is Aphrodite, the girl from the Hospital I told you about." He smiled. I knew Kyle enough to tell he was annoyed, so I was happy on that part.

I entered the main hall. Kyle walked me to the office.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Bundler, She's new here, and she lives with me, is it okay if we share a locker?"

Mrs. Bundler looked old enough that she should be retired.

"Oh, that is fine. Nice to meet you.." She said. I guess I would have to speak sometime today.

"Aphrodite Weller." I said un-confidently. She handed me a copy of Kyle's schedule, and we headed for Creative Writing.

"Wow, you picked all of my favourites, I love writing." I said, "And art too." I finished, looking at Kyle's smiling face.

"Well, I am a pretty amazing artist. And I go for the subjects you don't really have to work hard at." he laughed.

When we walked into room 213, and Kyle introduced me to his homeroom teacher, Mr. Wheeler.

I guess kyle knew me well, because he walked up to Mr. Wheeler, and _whispered_ the news about me. Mr. Wheeler, I didn't like at all, he technically yelled 'We have a new student named Aphrodite, named after the Greek godess-" I interrupted by saying 'Of love and beauty.' I finished looking down again. Kyle nodded his head and urged me to sit down by him in the back.

He had my taste in hiding in the shadows. Right when I was settled, a group of rowdy football players walked into the room.

They ignored Mr. Wheeler completely and placed their feet on the desks and talked to each other. By the time Mr. Wheeler started his lecture they were a little bit more calm.

"The key to introducing a new room, if if you sat in your own and described it, or any room at all. But you want your reader to...." He talked and I zoned out. I was so good at it, I looked like I was deep in his lecture and advices by nodding and looking dumb-struck and sat there with my mouth open.

A crumpled up paper landed right in between Kyle and I. I picked it up and unfolded it.

'u look hot.' was scrawled on it. I re-crumpled it and threw it on the floor by my bag.

"What did it say?" Kyle whispered. He looked worried, he must have seen one of the jocks throw it, I hope not.

"Nothing. Just some stupid joke." I said. He bent over and picked it up and un-crumbled it again. He did the craziest thing,

He laughed! Not loudly, but just in a low muffle. After long boring-ness, we were finally out.

"I have to go to the bathroom!" He said covering his mouth. He ran before I could answer, of course I followed him and waited out in front of the Boy's washroom. Just my luck too, a group of four jocks came, no doubtfully, to talk to me.

Just in time for Kyle to finally come out.

"Dude, your girlfriend is hot!" one of them said. My face changed and I looked as if he was speaking Polish.

"She's...not my girlfriend" Kyle said, he still looked sick and I knew that.

"Well, in this case, _hello there, are you single?_" I winched when he tried to put his arm around me, but I guess Kyle thought it was a little bit funny, but it wasn't hard to tell he was faking.

"Hey, what's wrong with your skin!" The tallest one said, "Skeleton-boy!" They joked. The tall one sucked in his stomach to look thinner, as he was saying Skele-boy! He still wasn't as thin as Kyle. Kyle was too weak, and I thought it would be _just hilarious_ if I told them off.

"So, He can gain a few, but Stupidity you can't fix." I said and stuck out my tongue.

"Never, and I mean it, _never_ in a million years, I got my best boyfriend right here." I said, linking my arm in Kyle's, and we walked down the hall.

"Aw, that is just _so nice_ of you to call me you best buddy boyfriend." He pause, "Wait, how many do you have?" He said playfully. We laughed hard.

I had already done through Creative Writing, Art, World History, and Spanish. I knew Spanish quite well, My old tutor used it as a very strong second language, he also knew the whole language of Italian.

It was lunch, and all I felt like eating was an apple. Kyle even ate more than I did, but he only had half of a bun, but then went running off to vomit again. He only threw up two times today, and I was hoping there wouldn't be a third. Lunch was a whole hour so Kyle wanted to take me to the city library so we could look up things on hallucinating, and about St. Angela's church. We took the city bus instead of the car. I found it was easier and we were almost out of gas.

I looked out towards the front of the widow, I began to panic, how could I stay calm on a city bus with a black see-through figure facing us. Looking at Kyle's eye as they flooded red again.

We stiffened and he took my hand. I squeezed it harder every time he flashed closer. He had no face, just like he was a shadow, just a dark shape. By the time we got to our stop, which wasn't that far from the school; we bolted because it was like he was breathing on us. Our hands were red from squeezing them so hard. I was breathing hard, and we took a second to become ourselves again.

"I'm sorry." I said. It was my fault. I should have just went to bed that night.

His eyes cleared up, and they were his usual colour. We entered the building, I asked the thin looking man who was behind the desk if I could use one of the computers, he just nodded and typed something long on the laptop in front of him. I turned over to where they had the public computers.

Sitting down randomly at a computer down on the right side, I typed in: St. Angela's Church History. I clicked 'Search' and only one link showed up. The headline said 'Murderous Sin in St. Angela's Church' I clicked on it.

16 year old Jessica Geller was murdered in St. Angela's Church November Tenth 1836. Father Don was the accused for his worlds, he claimed he killed her because 'She was a evil.'

and 'didn't believe in God.' He also claimed he was freeing her soul. The police couldn't find any relatives,so if anyone knows a long, black-haired and brown with red eyes, call 1-230-6657 with your information.

I scrolled down the page and looked at the picture. I gasped and called for Kyle.

He walked over normally but when he read the paragraph, and finally saw the picture.

"Is that you!" He asked, but it was more of a shock. He covered his mouth, and I knew the third was coming. I handed him the garbage can.

I printed the file while Kyle was finishing, and I paid the librarian a dollar fifty, for the printing, and the picture in colour. I got the black plastic bag out of the trash container that kyle just used. I through it into the big trash can outside of the Library.

"Can I see the picture again?" Kyle said. I handed him the one paper with the picture on it.

"Can't imagine you on a table dead." Kyle said as he gave the picture back after he looked at it for a minute.

"I hope I wont ever have to be." I said sarcastically. He looked up and to familiar colour flashed through his eyes. But he was looking _at me._

"Do you see anything weird?" I asked. He shook his head, and looked worried. "Your eyes, are red again," I commented, and then I thought. _Maybe I was Jessica, re-born._ Great. I was dead.

My eyes started dripping tears. I didn't want them too, but I felt like a monster.

"What's wrong?" he said, taking his thumb and wiping away my tears.

"I feel like a monster." I said.

"Why?" He _so_ pleading-fully asked.

"Because you were looking at _me_." I said as if it were a bad thing, which it was to me.

"You are _not_ a monster. Your my best girlfriend." He said with a tiny laugh to try and help me.

He gave me a hug and we just stood there for a minute. He pulled out, but still holding me so I could see into his eyes, they were a blue colour again.

"We should go before we are late" He mumbled, we waited for our bus and made it back to the school fifteen minutes early. He took me to his locker and all the girls looked at me oddly. Kyle just says that they fancy me. I laughed when he told me, but I just thought 'They fancy the devil, do they?'

The tall jock from before walked up and smacked Kyle's books onto the ground.

"Hey, look! It's diseased kid! Don't breath in his air!" He shouted to everyone.

"Oh really?" I said. "Cool!" I said as I kissed his cheeks. He looked more exhausted than shocked.

"You know, I like this whole sick thingy." He said, I couldn't tell if he was talking to me, or the jock.

The jock looked mad. Some redhead walked up behind him, she looked hasty and mean. Her hair was a little bit shorter than mine, and her green eyes pinned me.

My voice was stronger and braver than I felt, I spat out a 'What.' when she glared at me. I turned and Kyle followed me to Math. _Wow, sounds very lame, heading to math, not the best place to go to after __telling someone off._ I laughed.

I had already learned most of what Mr. Greenler was saying. So I totally spaced out, I also did in Science, We had to do homework on 'The Body parts,Cells, and Muscles.' I didn't know a lot about that, but Kyle would share his book with me. I was happy when I walked out of the classroom, The first day done.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter three._

We made it out of the hell hole just in time before the snubby people flooded the lot to get to their expensive cars. Kyle had to throw up again when we were coming out of the neighbour hood surrounding the school.

Aunt Mary told me I should keep track of how many times Kyle vomits.

When we came back to _our_ home, which I wasn't used to thinking, I awed the white huge-looking house with black trim. It had a old wooden porch and many willow trees covering the front yard.

I pulled in and parked back into the wood garage out in the yard behind the house. Outlining their back yard was a deep forest, that looked like it would go on forever.

I told Kyle that he would have to go for a walk with me on Saturday morning.

We walked through the back door and into the house with Kyle right behind me. I heard Aunt Mary in the kitchen putting away dishes into the cupboards.

"How was your first day Honey?" She asked from the kitchen. I looked at Kyle as I bit my lips.

"Great!" I said enthusiastically. Sure it didn't seem like the nicest school, but with Kyle there, it made things a lot better than it would have been if it was just me.

"Okay, you two should start on your homework, Dad should be home soon." She said as we peered the corner. She gave us one of her beautiful and friendly smiles, and then we got set up in the living room. Kyle snagged the couch so I just set up on the floor. I was feeling kinda weird around him ever since I kissed him in the hall.

I started on my Art first. Mrs. Song told us we each have to come up with a surreal picture for Wednesday, but art was the easiest so I did it first.

Blinking once again, and looking out at an unfamiliar picture. It was surreal alright.

"Wow, your a better artist than me." Kyle said from the couch. He was probably really into his math, by the looks of it, he must have been taking a break.

"I didn't draw this." I said, flipping it over so Aunty or Uncle M would see it. Uncle M came home right when I was getting started.

"But I saw you with your pencil in your hand, vast at work." Kyle said with his opened book over his lap.

"That wasn't me." I said shaking out the feeling that someone else was inside me.

I picked up my Spanish textbook and flipped open to where I had stuffed the loose papers in. I was really into it, and was almost done the last question.

"Ta," Kyle said. "ta," He paused, "TA!" he finally finished, he lightly threw his pencil so it would land on my book.

"Oh, _so_ cute Kyle." I said. As I did so Aunt Mary walked in the room. She stood over to where Kyle was sitting on the couch.

"Your father, Dan, Amy, and I are going out to a movie. If you want to come you can." She said, looking at both Kyle and I. I mostly just looked at Kyle.

"Ah, we just went two days ago, and we have homework." He answered, he smiled and Aunty Mary kissed the top of his head.

"Honey, can I see you?" She said looking at me. I nodded and followed her into the dinning room.

"How many times." She said is a sigh. I knew she was referring to Kyle's vomiting. I paused and sucked in a breath.

"Four," I said, "Once after first block, after he ate lunch, at the library, and when we were heading back home." I finished.

"Oh, dear." She said. She said a quiet 'Thank-you' and gave me a hug. She smelt like roses and I felt odd hugging her, like I should belong in a coffin four feet under the ground.

I watched her grab her keys that were next to the front door.

"Come on guys!" She yelled from the door. Kyle walked up _right_ behind me, I could feel his breath on my neck. And we watched as Amy came flying down the stairs with her ponytail whipping her shoulders and her doll in her hand.

Dan came up, looking very excited, the most excited I have ever seen him the whole time I was there.

"We might be a little bit late tonight. We have to pick up your pills," She paused looking up at Kyle,

"And we are going to visit Aunt Monica who's taking the kids for the night." She said. I was guessing that they were skipping school tomorrow.

They always waited for their school bus to come and take them to their school that was six blocks from the house. Kyle and I would always pass their school and watch them as they would walk off the bus all bundled up for another snow day.

Aunt Mary waved as did Uncle M, as he helped Amy put on her scarf. The door shut leaving Kyle and I alone in the house.

"Why don't we watch a movie?" He said, "We can take a break." He mumbled, it was like he was whispering in my ear. We came into the living room and Kyle switched on the TV, and went to the movies channel.

"Not a horror movie, I've been kinda paranoid for the last while," I said., "But not a sappy romance one. How about a comedy?" I asked.

"Wow, for once, a girl doesn't like sappy romance movies!" He said with a glee, although it was sarcastic.

He stopped at a random movie that had an audience that laughed in the back round. He came and sat on the floor, with his back against the couch, I laughed and slid my arms under his, and pulled his body onto the couch, and then came the awkward silence right before a kiss, but we didn't, we just stared. Kyle then scratched the back of his neck, and lightly chuckled.

I got a bad feeling something was going to happen.

"What?" He asked. I just held my breath. His face twisted as he looked back at the TV. I heard screams, and they _never_ have dead sounding screams in a Comedy. Pictures of dead people, and a lot of blood came on the TV screen as if we were watching a rated R movie.

Danny's stereo blasted some thrashing songs and there was moans from every room in the house. Kyle took my hand, and we ran to the back door, putting our shoes on but leaving our jackets. We ran through the snow and came to the edge of the forest and without hesitation, running into it.

After a while of running we stopped next to a creek. The skies were a light blue, but it wouldn't be long until it was black out.

"We should go back, I don't want to caught here when it is dark out." I said, I turned around and tripped over something. My hands landed in something slimy, and when I went to look at my hand, was sticking to my palm was red snow. I got up as soon as I could. And looked at the pale body I tripped on. It was one of the football players, the one that asked Kyle if I was his girlfriend.

He looked like he was decaying there for days, but I saw him living and breathing earlier today. Covering my mouth with the back of my hand, I yelled for Kyle. He looked over the body.

After looking up, and confirming he was dead, he noticed me shivering. He took off his sweater, and handed it to me, only him wearing a his gray shirt.

"No, you need it." I said, "You need it more than I do." He just tilted his head and shook his arm.

"You need it, and you should wear it." Kyle said. My voice did the craziest thing, and shouted at Kyle.

"I'm already dead! Can't you see? I'm just Jessica Geller re-born!" I said, bursts of tears came streaming out of my eyes again. He came and hugged me like he did at the library, only longer.

"We have to call the police." Kyle said.

He wrapped the sweater around me and we walked together. I held Kyle's hands so they didn't grow cold. We huddled together. On the way back, it took us half-an hour to find the house.

I gave Kyle a blanket and he told me to share with him. We sat underneath the cord phone, I was glad the house was at peace.

"Hel-lo?" I saw Kyle's foot shaking, so I hugged him through the blankets, and his foot stopped shaking. I could tell because his body wasn't vibrating rapidly. "We found a dead body, Five thirty-eight third street." Kyle said giving out the address.

"They'll be here in ten minutes." Kyle said. We sat together until the the police came and knocked on the door.

"It is out back." I said when they were at our house, they had their guns drawn and I felt very uncomfortable. Kyle and I got our jackets and walked with the police back to the creek. It didn't take long, because we followed the footsteps in the snow, to where we were before.

"Right-"I paused. Nothing was there, not even the blood. "It was right here!" I yelled. Kyle walked up to where it used to be.

"It was right here. We both saw it." Kyle said calmly, I was freaking out.

"Have you two been drinking at all tonight?" one of the officers said, "Drugs? Because if you watch a horror movie and just do drugs, than your hallucinations are going to be whack."

The other officer looked at him.

"Hey! Hey! Not that I would know..."He added. One of the police officers shown a light into our eyes.

"What is up with your eyes?"One of them commented. I looked at Kyle, his eyes had just a faint bit of pink in there, but it was just clearing up.

"I don't know, Doctor's don't either." I mumbled.

"But I have to tell you, I have Cancer, so I could have been hallucinating, and she can hallucinates too, we just thought it was real. I'm so sorry." Kyle said looking down.

"Well, there obviously isn't anything here, do you have any guardians with you?" One of them said.

"They are supposed to be out." I said, "I don't know when they will be back."

we all walked back to the house, my heart was thumping loudly, I have _never_ gotten in trouble before, and this situation was scaring me.

When we got back I was guessing Aunt Mary was worrying. She got home, and saw all of the cop cars on the driveway with flashing lights, but no one in the house. Kyle walked in first, and Aunt Mary hugged him and demanded to know what was wrong.

"I called the police, because we found a body. But it isn't _there_ anymore." Kyle said. I could tell there were tears coming out of Kyle's eyes.

Aunt Mary finished hugging Kyle, and walked over to me, placing her warm hands on my cheeks, she asked if I was alright. Uncle M came down the stairs, and freaked out. Uncle M and Aunty Mary talked to the police. Kyle and I were listening from the living room.

"I'm so sorry, they hallucinate, and Kyle has Cancer." Aunty Mary said, "It was just a misunderstanding."

I watched as Uncle M took Mary's hand. The police left, and the house was quiet. Without Danny and Amy, I thought it was weird.

"Okay, Should we talk about this?" Aunty Mary said as she was kneeling in front of the couch.

"Okay. Into the dinning room, I want to hear it." Uncle M said walking into the room.

We both obeyed and sat next to each other, I thought this was very much like an interrogation.

"Why were you in the woods?" Aunt Mary asked.

I looked at Kyle. I decided to let him talk, and just add the details once and a while.

"The house kinda freaked us out because we thought there was someone here, so we ran into the woods." He lied, but it was working. I could see the concern flash across their face, and I saw four dead people standing right behind Aunt Mary and Uncle M, seeing them so serious and with them not knowing about the faceless people there. It freaked me out more.

_Keep calm, don't run. Just Forget._ I thought to myself. I felt Kyle stiffen and Uncle M continued with the questions.

One of the people put their cold dead hands on Kyle's neck. He straitened his back and I saw his face, like as if he were being kidnapped and he was just about to be killed. Filled with worry and begging for life.

"I have to go to the bathroom." He said, I saw him get up as soon as he could and fast-walked to the bathroom. They were all gone, but Kyle's vomiting disturbed me more than the dead people.

"Would you guy like to go to school tomorrow?"Uncle M asked when Kyle came back and stood at the door frame.

"Okay." We answered. I played with my long hair nervously, braiding some pieces, and twisting them.

"You guys get some rest." Aunty Mary sighed. Uncle M rubbed Aunty Mary's back as a comforting gesture.

"Goodnight" I said and walked with Kyle halfway up the stairs.

"I don't know what to do! The medicine for Kyle is so expensive, and something is getting really weird with their hallucinations because there _is_ no way Aphrodite could see the same things as Kyle." Aunt Mary said. "Something is wrong."

I quietly walked up the rest of the stairs until we came to my floor.

"I am so sorry." Kyle said, looking down.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, but I do, Kyle, by me coming here I endangered your life." I said, I went into my room, and shut the door with him still in the hall.

I changed into my PJ's and sat on the ledge of my window and watched the moon and counted the stars.

Early in the morning, I woke up to Kyle looking at me, I was in my bed, although I clearly remember falling asleep on the ledge.

"I'm sorry, I moved you." Kyle said. He was wearing just PJ pants, and my heart welted looking at his neck, where it was red.

"I'm sorry for last night, I shouldn't have been so negative." I said, He smiled, and I forgot how much I really loved him.

He was sitting beside me on my bed, and I felt like crying all over again.

It was four in the morning so I let Kyle lay down on my bed, and we fell asleep talking to each other, and I woke up again at seven, watching him closely.

I woke him up after five minutes, and we got ready for school. I was still thinking of how I slept so peacefully beside him, I felt kinda weird about it, but I just acted as if it didn't mean anything.

I got up and had a shower in my bathroom, and changed into a purple blouse and some jeans. I brushed out my hair and made my bed.

I ate a muffin for breakfast and Kyle had a bowl of cereal. We kissed Aunt Mary goodbye and got back into the VW bug.

We got into the parking lot and parked near the back exit.

I talked to kyle a lot and we were laughing, so maybe I was wrong about him liking me. He could have been talking about that other girl. I think he only liked me as a sister or something.

We got out of the bug, and there was the football jock, fine and without a scratch.

"Hey babe." he said as he passed me, I just looked like a moron and had my mouth hanging open. Looking at Kyle, he looked really freaked out.

"Oh, so Skele-boy just realized that I was hot!"He said, looking at us both. I was sick of this guy, and I wished he was still dead. _You asked for it_. My conscience said, and I threw a punch to his nose. Kyle grabbed my arm before it reached the guy's nose.

"Oh, I like this feisty girl, I am Hector." he said wiggling his eyebrows. I snared a glare at him and Kyle led me to the doors. It was gray outside and I way wearing a black coat I got from kyle.

He opened the door for me, and right in front of me was the the red-haired girl.

"Get out of my way!" she screeched, she shoved me, but she didn't get past Kyle.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Kyle said, she shoved her way past him. "She is a B with an itch, don't worry." He smiled. He put his arm around my shoulders, and we walked to class.

It was lunch time and we just got out of Science. I was sitting in the cafeteria, waiting for Kyle to come back with food from the buffet table.

He came back and gave me a slice of pizza.

"So what shall we do after this? We have like, another forty-five minutes." Kyle said after he swallowed a bite of his slice.

"Ah, how about siting in the field and playing with snow?" I asked, there wasn't anything to do here.

"Listen, I'm not going to be going to school tomorrow, I have an appointment at the Hospital so they can look over the treatment details."He said. Finishing off his juice box and taking another bite from his pizza. He set it down, and didn't touch it again.

"Oh, so you are leaving me to fend for myself, hey?" I said, laughing as I did.

He set his hardly-touched-tray on top of the trash after he dumped his food in it. He looked at me, and smiled from where he was.

"Just don't let those jocks push you around," He said, he stopped smiling. "Because you mean a lot to me." He said with a tiny smile, but he just laughed and pulled me outside.

We came back in after what seemed like a long time, and our history teacher called 'Time to go' I didn't realize we were going to the museum today. Kyle walked with me to the bus and there was that girl with the short brown hair and the heart-shaped face. "Hey Kyle! And Aphrodite."She said, not seeming to pleased about me. But honestly, she shouldn't be jealous, considering the things I have seen.

"Hey." Kyle said. She looked as if she just saw a celebrity, but I guess she just really fancies Kyle.

"Can I sit with you guys?" She asked. I noticed she was wearing the exact same shirt I did yesterday.

"Ah, Sure?" Kyle said.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter four._

The whole time on the bus, 'Becky'-I just learned was her name, talked to Kyle and me (Occasionally) about clearly nothing. She was clearly being random, and talking about all different subjects, she didn't stop talking until we made it through the front doors. She finally got nervous and then walked off into some other group. I was finally relieved, and I started laughing. Kyle stared at me.

"What?" He said. He lightly chuckled.

"That was hell." I laughed, "There's nothing wrong with her, but she is like your second biggest fan." I laughed leading him on.

"Who's my first?" He said smiling.

"Me! Of course, Who did you think it would be? Elvis?" I laughed.

We came to a section in the dead animals. I looked really close at the dead Fox behind the glass, I could feel Kyle right beside me.

It jumped to life and pounced at the glass, smacking it's head hard, creating cracks on it. Kyle and I both jumped, it was angry and evil. And we both of us flinched when Mr. Tanner placed his hands on our shoulders.

"Don't worry! It wont bite ya!" He laughed, Kyle and I turned back to the fluffed animal on the shelf. I was still trying to regain my breath.

The way it bounced at the glass, and it's fake eyes, looking more real than anything. But now, it was just the dead thing it was before.

We moved on and I didn't pay attention to anything else there, not even the things I would have found interesting.

After looking at all sorts of things from China and the Natives, we finally left. Sitting next to Mrs. 'I- heart-Stalking-for-life' was like cutting out my tongue and eating it.

Kyle answered most of her questions, even the ones like 'What colour is your toothbrush?' I was quite proud of him.

It was only a twenty-minute ride and we got back to the school right before the lot was covered. It was hard to get the bus through the tinny space that was free.

"So, do you want to know what colour my toothbrush is, my number one fan?" He said as we walked off the bus after Becky.

"Oh, I am having such a hard time guessing- Pink." I spat sarcastically. We came out to where the jocks were, and the tall guy, who looks like he had a history with the redhead, who's name I later found out was 'Jade', walked up, and cornered me next to a car.

"Hey babe, how come you've been avoiding me?" He said all jokingly, Kyle came up and pushed him off of me.

"Leave her alone! Shes with me, don't you get it?" He spat, I was worried, Kyle looked so fragile beside the jock.

"What? You and that-," He paused, looking me over, I felt _so_ exposed. "Babe, date a skinny guy like you?"

"I think that is up to me to decide, Thank. You. Very. Much." I spat on his shirt, and kicked him in _the spot_ and took Kyle's hand, and we ran like hell to the car, and drove out of the lot.

Happy we weren't being followed, I ex-hailed the air I had been holding for a while.

"So glad that is over, I am so sorry, Kyle, for everything." I sighed. He sighed and looked at me right in the face.

"Dude, what you did, was kick-ass! I thought I would croak trying to fight him." He said, "And thanks for going along with the whole 'We're together thingy.'" He said, not-so-seriously anymore. I laughed, and we talked like we used too, when I didn't realize I liked him.

We pulled into the house, and I parked where I usually did. When we came in, Aunty Mary came to the door and hugged us both. She had her hair up in a ponytail and it curled in ringlets. She was wearing a black sweater and some gray dress pants.

She asked us how our day went, and I just said the usual's, the 'Goods' and 'great'.

"Ma, do you think it would be okay if Aph and I go to the library before dinner?" Kyle said, "We have to study for some exams and things." He finished.

"That would be great. Kyle told you he wasn't going to be at school tomorrow?" Aunty Mary said, as she turned towards me.

"Yes, he did." I said smiling, "at lunch."

"Okay, so you can just use the bug to get to school." she said. She waved off a 'Be back by five-thirty' and we were on the road again.

I got less nervous driving the Bug around now, because it became easier for me.

I got my licence about two months after I turned sixteen, and my mom let me use the van whenever I wanted.

"Thanks for getting us out of there, I hate studying on the floor." I giggled. He looked at me and smiled.

"No problem, anytime." He laughed. He said because he was sick, he kinda got away with everything but he hated the concern and worry that his mom developed.

Kyle got his cancer when he was fifteen, so he really didn't have it for that long.

When we got to the library, I parked the bug around the back, so we had to walk around the building. It was pretty big, but talking to Kyle, time felt a lot shorter on it's hands.

When we got in, the same man was behind the counter as before. I gave him a nod, and he typed away again.

Kyle placed his books on a table and sat down. I told him I would be right back. I went to look at some of the maps and information department where I could find out more on this 'Jessica Geller' who looked exactly as me.

I did feel like a freak, and that was one thing Kyle couldn't cure.

I picked out a tube that they had as the 1836's Hospital's history, and I picked one out for the church.

I looked at the Hospital's first, they had many cases in there, but I did manage to find Jessica's case there, for November tenth. There is was.

Jessica was stabbed and shot at the church. She made it to St. Charles hospital, but she didn't survive through the treatments.

I read on, I looked at all of the pictures, and read the articles but they had all of the same information. There wasn't a lot of her, just the basics. I looked over the evidence too, like the pictures and the information given in the forms and the courts' papers.

Sorting through it all, there wasn't really any proof that Father Don had actually killed her. He was just there at the wrong time.

Kyle kept glancing up once and a while to check out what I was doing.

"Find anything interesting?" He asked. Looking up from his socials textbook.

"Actually I did, it doesn't seem like Father Don killed Jessica at all, all of the evidence doesn't mean anything. He was just there at the wrong time. They said that Father Don doesn't have a gun, but Jessica was shot and stabbed. They said they found the knife on the Altar." I explained. I was going to check out the information and take it back to the house to study.

"I wish people would learn, just because someone said they murdered someone, it doesn't actually mean they did." I said, "Now I have to play detective."I laughed.

I signed out the information tubes, and I studied until five, then I suggested that we should go now, and make it home just in time for Potatoes and Green beans. We got to the bug, and I put the tubs in the back seat, and I put both of our back packs back there to.

"What did you get?" Kyle asked, referring to the tubes.

"Just the Hospital's history and the church's." I said. "I have to look over everything, the detectives then did this case all wrong. They used the 'You were there, you did it' strategy. So I just re-opened this case."I laughed.

"I can help you." he said looking out of the front window. I nodded and smiled.

We ate dinner in the dinning room, and Danny and Amy got back around five. I was introduced to Aunt Monica, she had blonde hair that was the exact same length as Aunty Mary's, and I also met Uncle Peter, who had black shiny hair and smooth skin, neither of them looked over forty, and they were pretty young. Turns out I have a 'cousin', who is about fourteen, her name is Elena.

They said I would meet her tomorrow at dinner, Aunty Mary invited them over.

Kyle already has met Elena, but he never really says anything about her because they never really talk.

There was a lot of talk at the dinner table, most of it had to do with Uncle Monica and Uncle M asking me questions like Aunt Mary and Uncle M did when I first came.

When we were done with the Potatoes, I washed the dishes, and Kyle dried and put them away. I was about half way done, when dishes had fallen onto the floor. Kyle leaned over them, and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. I stopped what I was doing and helped him clean up the fallen plate.

"What's going on?" Uncle M said from the table.

"Oh, just a plate fell." I said looking at Kyle. "What happened?" I whispered.

"I don't know, Okay? It just fell, I tried to get it, but it was like my hand went through the dish." What he said, just past through my head, I didn't take note at all, and we just finished the dishes, and went up stairs. I was going to watch Kyle paint something. I sat there on the bed while he sat in front of me with a canvas and paints.

"So, I will miss you tomorrow." I said, guilt smiling. It looked more lovingly best friend-like way. He looked up and smile at me.

"While I am strapped down and and forced under an alien-looking machine, I will miss you too." He laughed.

"So you think every machine is alien-related?" I laughed. Looking back at him, his face looked at me as if he he was studying my face.

"Well, yeah. I mean, how did people come to think of technology? Like how did they make micro-chips and get things to work." He said, stating his point.

"That is true." I said, giving a wink.

"Just don't get hurt tomorrow, Okay?" He said, looking serious again. I nodded, and laughed.

"So how is it coming?" I asked after a while.

He just kept on sketching and then looked up at me.

"Almost done." He laughed sweetly. Looking at me again, made me smile. Even if we were in a situation of death, he could always make me smile.

After twenty more minutes, He looked up and said 'Done drawing' and I walked over.

"That's me!" I said, looking as happy. For a guy with Cancer, and who can see the dead, he was a very gifted person. It was as if he just took a picture of me, and some how got it on a canvas, but I knew he drew it.

"It's beautiful, Kyle, it really is!" I said hugging him.

"Gah!" He said, pushing me off, he palms on my shoulder, and they parted us.

"Oh, so sorry! I really didn't mean too." I knew it would hurt if anyone touched the blistering sunburn looking thing on his neck and chest. So I automatically stood up.

"Well, we all know life sucks." We laughed. He gave me an air hug, and Aunty Mary said we should go to bed. It was already dark out, and about ten o'clock.

I went down stairs and got into a nightie and set on my bed. Ignoring the figure in my mirror, I buried myself into the blankets and fell asleep angry. Because of what happened to Kyle, how someone so close to death already had been cursed.

I woke up again, only an hour after falling asleep, I heard someone out in the hall. Rubbing my eyes, and getting myself out of bed, and opened the door. I saw that Becky girl, walking out of of Kyle's stair case.

Why would they _ever_ want to pick Becky to scare us? Oh.... Oh wait... It was working. I thought to myself sarcastically.

Following her down the stairs, I met her up in the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" I said, rubbing my head like it was normal she was in my house at eleven at night.

"Nothing!" She screeched. She looked kinda P-oed.

"Where you watching....Kyle SLEEP?" I asked. She looked back at me from the door.

"No!......Kinda." She said.

"Oh, that's not creepy _at all, _My friend." I said, as I opened the door of the fridge and got out a water bottle. She stormed off and shut the door behind her, not replying to my snazzy comment.

After her leaving, and looking at the boy in front of my bed, I wonder if they could talk to me.

"Hello?" I asked, my sarcastic-ness when away, and a flash of fear went through me like a wave.

"You can see me?" The bloody boy said from my bed side now.

"Yeah, I can see dead people, Whip-de-do." I said, gaining back my anger. In a flash, the boy grabbed my throat. He choked me until I thought I was dead. When I opened my eyes again, he was gone.

But he wasn't totally gone. He was on the other side of my bed.

"Don't you dare treat this like a joke." He spat, and I couldn't see his face.

"What is your name?" I asked, hoping he would have some Anger Management lessons.

"Phillip Jones." He croaked.

"Why aren't you dead?" I asked. He didn't answer

"Why aren't you.....Dead?" I asked again.

"I am what I want to be!" He screeched. His voice wasn't right, it was scratchy and dead.

I just stared at him, hours went by because I couldn't sleep with him watching over me. So I just thought to myself, moving from different topics, and jumping like a flying monkey.

_Why is he here? Why not torture anyone who is where you died?_ But I knew he was after me, because I looked some-what like this 'Jessica' person.

They must have had some kind of connection. I thought. Because there was no way he would be haunting me for no reason.

I didn't sleep all night. Looking up at his dark face made me think of horror, and nightmares.

I could see his eyes easily, Sometimes they would be filled with sorrow, and others times, anger.

_She must have done something really bad to make him hate me so much._ I thought to myself. All I could do was think, other times, I would just stare.

Morning came, and he was gone. Four hours of sleep, Great. I thought. Waking up with the sun shining and the snow sparkled. I realized that Kyle's birthday was in three days.

What would I want to get him? What would he want? I decided to ask him after I told him about his stalker-ish girlfriend.

After getting up, I walked over to my wardrobe and got out a black and white sweater with short sleeves and a square neckline, and my dress pants from two days ago. I put them on, and brushed my hair.

I went down stairs and I could tell that someone was up. It was Kyle and Aunt Mary. Aunt Mary was making waffles and Kyle was reading the paper.

"Good morning!" I said pleasingly, I was shocked to how happy that came out.

"Morning!" The both said in sequence. I sat beside Kyle.

"What are ya reading?" I asked.

He looked up at me, and smiled. "Just the ads." He laughed. "Do you think you will survive at all today?"

"I don't know." I replied.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter five._

Getting to school felt long and quiet without Kyle. I pulled into the parking lot and randomly parked by the an old van.

I got out and got my bag from the back seat, and walked towards the door, when 'Hector' the football player, stood in front of me.

"So where is this Skele-boy of yours? He's not here to claim you... So I guess I can have you all to myself." He said smiling.

"Why don't you hang with us? I am Gorge." Said should-Be-Dead-kid. "Dylan, and Heath." he said, Dylan was a redheaded boy with many freckles and Heath had brown hair and brown eyes.

Gorge had blonde hair, that looked completely un-natural. Hector had black hair that was ruffled and sweaty most of the time.

"Leave me alone! You guys are jerks! You push around a kid with cancer! What is wrong with you?" I said, looking very angry. "I find it funny how you guys don't notice..._I really don't like you._"

He walked up and whispered in my ear. I _freak_ when people whisper right in my ear.

"I don't care about him, but you I quite fancy." He mumbled.

I could tell the other people were closing up on me, it looked like Hector was just about to try and kiss me, but the bell rang, and I exhaled in relief.

"Gotta go!" I said as I ducked under his arm.

I was happy to see I had drama first. I was really good at acting, mostly because I do it all the time.

I got in, and went to my morning classes of Art and Drama, the easiest first.

Just before lunch time, while I was still in biology, I mostly thought to myself as I usually did.

_What are you going to get him?_ Was a thought that tugged in the back of my thoughts the whole time, even as I tried to not worry about it, it was still there like a constant reminder.

After getting out, because the bell rung, I walked past the cafeteria. Today, I thought, I am going to go shopping, and escape the madness of the football players and the whole thing against Jade.

I got into a book store, I saw a few that I would _love_ to read, but I thought it would be more important to find something for Kyle.

Walking out of the store empty-handed, I turned the corner to the music store. Walking in, the first thing I was were the disc players.

Curiously I walked over and looked at them. Looking over many, I found one that was perfect. It was a silver compact and had gold outlining.

"Need some help Miss?" A tall man with many piercings and ruffled brown hair asked me from my left.

"Yes, how much for this one?" I asked pointing out the one, I looked back to look in his brown eyes, wondering what they have seen.

"Twenty-four dollars and fifty cents including tax." He said, interrupting my train of thought.

"I will get one, if you don't mind." I said, politely. He opened the glass bin, and pulled out a bran new box. He lead me over to the til, and I pulled out my credit card with my family's fortune on it.

We were pretty wealthy, My mom was an amazing artist, and my dad was an accountant. My mom was all about the future, selling her work, and always in front of a clean canvas.

My dad was almost never home, and when he was, it was a constant battlefield. I was mostly alone all the time, and I began feeling sorry for myself, but I stopped immediately when I met Kyle.

After having little small-talk with the cashier, I walked out. The sun disappeared and left me with a damp gray sky.

I didn't realize how cold it was outside, it started to snow, and the flakes dropped softly, almost flawless.

I got back into the bug, and drove two blocks until I reached a pharmacy. As I walked in, I strolled past the isles and I got to the wrapping papers and cards.

I picked up a lime green bag with many 'Happy Birthday's' on it, as well as a huge 'Make a wish!' in the centre of the bag. I decided it was good enough.

As I felt breathing on me, I dropped the bag, and twisted around to see Uncle M.

"Oh! I didn't think I would see you here!" I laughed, "you scared me, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I came to pick up some headache pills," He paused, "and I came to pick up a card for Kyle." He smiled, I looked at him as he picked up some card with a cupcake on it.

"What did you get him?" I asked, as he put back down the card, and moved to the comedy section. Turning his head away from the card he answered.

"We talked to some contractors, and we had agreed to make Kyle a shop for his art work, he is really good at it. You know, he has a lot of paintings of you in the basement, he did show you, didn't he?" He asked, this time, not looking at me as he read the cards word-to-word.

"No, he didn't." I mumbled. I still hadn't taken that in, I just stared down the isle.

"He really cares you Aph." He added, maybe trying to lead on to something.

"I know, He's always been there for me. He is definitely the best-est pally I have ever had."

"What did you get him?" He asked, eyeing the plastic bag in my hand.

"A few CD's and a player."

He nodded and picked up a card. Looking at his watch that clung to his wrist, he mumbled 'shoot' and picked up the pills he had on the ledge of the shelve holding some romance novels.

"I got to go, I have to be back at the dealership in time for the meeting." He said, waving as he went to the counter, to pay.

I felt empty, as I realized the feeling of being alone, even in being in a full area, my heart dropped. I picked up a red card with streamers and party hats all over it. I got a lime green bag with brown

pok-a-dots.

Strutting over to the counter, I paid the tall lady with short brown hair. I made my way back to the car, and made my way back to school.

I made it to Spanish in time, but late enough there was only one seat left. The one near Jade, was free, because all of her friends have taken French.

I walked over and silently slid in the seat. I could tell she had been glaring at me, my skin was tingling, and I had the feeling of her eyes.

When Mrs. Santiago walked out of the room to answer some important call at the office, Jade finally spoke.

"You know, I don't like you." She snarled. But I didn't feel that afraid of her after the horrid things I have seen. So I answered her.

"Never said you had to."

"Take this as a warning." She sighed. "Do you even like being popular?" she hissed.

"Well, we are at a school, strictly for an education, nothing really more." I replied, looking over my notes. Mrs. Santiago came back in, but only to shuffle some pages on her desk.

I noticed everyone staring at us, probably in shock that we were talking, they probably assumed we were friends. But this was more of a move-and-I-will-choke-you conversation.

By the time Mrs. Santiago came back in, trying to pick up where she left off, but only to get interrupted by the bell. Dashing up with my books, I filed out with the crowd of students filling the hall, but at the same time, I watched her like a hawk. She came up to Delia who just got out of Science and seemed like they were in a pretty good conversation probably about me.

Delia had long blonde hair, and she was around my height, I had no idea why she would be hanging out with such a B with an itch.

I got out of the school and got into the bug. Sliding my bag in the passenger seat and it landed with a _thunk. _I hopped in, and checked the mirror, and in the back was Phillip, looking at me with those haunted eyes. Turning around I could feel him choking me, and I thought I was dead.

I saw bodies, on the floor on top of pools of blood. It was almost as if I was flipping through a picture book. Jumbled words entered my mind, as I saw a girl, wait, it looked like me, scrambling on the floor to get away from something. She was wearing a silky purple blouse, and dress pants, that were slowly getting ruined by the blood, of the woman with the fingers and bloody eyes, now looked normal

although she was still dead.

I tried to focus on the area, it was wood, I saw wood, I think in an attic, The church attic. I recognized it easily, seeing that was where Father's room would be in this time. But it was empty, minus the dead bodies, and me slowly dieing. Her eyes had a certain fear to them, like she was going to cry, not scream or beg for life.

A new image flashed in my mind, of a plastic looking face floating in the water, it looked deformed. Wait, I noticed that there were more people in this murdering, there was Phillip, and that woman, it was her face in the river. Phillip was never found.

_Tap tap tap..._ I heard on my window, I jumped and looked to see Delia's face. I rolled down my window to speak to her, but through these clenched teeth, I wasn't sure I could.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asked, I nodded, not using my voice, in case it wasn't mine. "Okay, I am having this party at my house, and I was wondering if you and Kyle would like to come." She said smiling, showing dimples.

"Yeah I'm not sure if I can, but I will definitely call you if I can." I said, happy to hear my voice.

She nodded. "Okay, look under 'Philbrook' in the phone book and call me." She smiled again, and walked over to Megan.

Catching my breath again, I listened to my heart beat pumping in my ears as I pulled out of the spot. When I officially left the school's lot, and was on the highway I looked at the Saint's bracelet that was around my wrist. It was made of wood, a nice bright hazelnut that made me look Kyle's kind of pale. I got it from her jewelry box on the day they were clearing all of their stuff out. I was aloud to take what ever I wanted, and everything else I sold for money. I kept most of her things but most of it was gone, just like her.

I never realized it, as I did then that my parents must have really loved each other the most and fought for their lives, as they would have liked each other in everyday life.

I took a corner, and then thought I now have two murders I have to solve, My parents and the church case.

The police gave up on the Weller murder, and sent me to the hospital, where I would stay until some one called about me, but they thought it wasn't that bad, technically one more full year until I could live by myself.

"Tonight Aunty Monica and Uncle Peter are coming again tonight, so if you don't mind, can you help Mary in the kitchen when she gets here, Aph?" Uncle Michael said.

"Yes, I am a very good cook." I smiled and walked into the kitchen, as I did so, Aunty Mary and Kyle came through the door. Kyle had on his rain jacket that was now wet, so I assumed that it started to rain.

"Hello Aphrodite." Kyle said as he turned the corner into the yellow kitchen. He placed his hand on the black cabinet. "How was your day?" He asked showing his famous no-teeth smile.

"Long, boring." I sighed, pulling out a pot, and put in some Italian noddles. I was very good with those kinds of dishes. Kyle helped me cut up some peppers, and I made a cheese sauce and put that into the microwave.

"I will be back." I said remembering his present, "Piddly diddly department." I chuckled. I got to my bag that was propped up on the bench by the door.

I went up two flights until I came to my room. I got out the card from the pharmacy bag, and opened it. Taking my pen, I wrote.

Happy birthday Kyle!

I hope you have a great day!

Love Aphrodite. Xoxox

Looking at it for another split second, and then I placed it in the envelope and scrawled his name in the front. And stuck it in the bag with the other things I got him. I shoved it into my wardrobe drawer and headed down the stairs, brushing my finger nails lightly down the wall. Until I came to the kitchen again, where I found Kyle cutting up the rest of the peppers.

"I can do it, you know." I say as I come up to him at the cutting board, He looked up, and gave a funny smile, but only to look down again.

"I am _not_ going to cut myself, clearly I am _not_ two. Ouch, Dang it!" He picked up his thumb and licked it.

"I always thought it was gross when people did that." I mumbled under my laughs. I took over the knife and made him get a band-aid while I finish with the pasta, and take out the meat puffs and garlic bread.

I stirred the pasta, until it looked soft, and some-what chewable. Getting the plates, I set the table.

Kyle came down a moment later, and took the plates from me. "I can do this, no sharp edges." He said reassuringly.

I gave him the job, as seeing he would just nag me to do something, and this one seemed more harmless.

There were three knocks on the door, so I just turned the corner and watched Uncle M open it. On the other side, there was Aunty Monica, I recognized her, because she had the same features as Aunty Mary.

I saw Elena with her brown hair in a pony tail, right beside her mom. I could definitely see Uncle Peter stumbling from the car.

"Hi, Aphrodite, very nice to see you again!" Elena said as she took off her winter boots and coat. I smiled at her.

"Very nice to see you too!" I replied back. Everyone got settled in the dinning room while I got the breads out first.

"Oh, these meat puffs are so delicious!" Aunty Monica said. I brought out the pasta and took my seat beside Elena and Kyle.

I got a lot of complements from everyone, and I was a little bit nervous. We had a lot of talk, but Elena was the most quietest of us all, so I tried to make small talk.

When dinner was done, Elena hung out with Amy and Danny, while all of the Adults talked. Kyle and I went upstairs to my room where we sat down on my window ledge.

"So your stalker girlfriend was watching you sleep." I muffled quickly.

"Becky is _not_ my girlfriend." He sighed. "Wait, _what?_" He said questionably, his face worried- freaked out.

"Yeah, no kidding. She walked down the stairs at like twelve or something." I said, he looked at me with a plain expression.

"Oh, I feel so exposed!"He said.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six._

Kyle sat on the other side of me, and we stared at each other face-to-face, and he smiled at me. He looked so sick, I always forgot about his condition until he either threw up, or winced away from someone's touch.

"So are you excited for your birthday?" I asked looking at my hand, as the light from my lamp glittered on my silver bracelet.

"Turning seventeen," he thought, "another year of life has pasted by, I'm not sure I am ready for another one." He breathed. I thought about this for a while. Then looked down at the yard, at the willows while they swayed in the light breeze of the new snow fall.

"Oh, I have to work on homework upstairs, care to join me?" He asked, standing up, and looking at my door.

"Sure, that sounds great, I have to catch up on math homework anyway." I got up and went to go to his room.

The stairs creaked as I stepped up them to get to the top, it sounded extra loud with kyle on as well.

I opened the textbook that I had in my hand, to my spot. I told Kyle about his homework, and he some-what started. But something caught my eyes, some smoke smell filled my nostrils, and a flair of orange started on the picture of me, that was still on the easel.

Blackness began to spread, and I could tell Kyle was watching too. Another face was appearing out from the black, and a figure of the woman was now replacing me.

When it finally went out, we sat there in silence. I got up and took it off the easel and started down the stairs, when kyle got up, I heard him walk up behind me.

"What are you doing?" He asked. As I got down to my floor.

"I'm sorry, it _was_ lovely but it is ruined now!" I said walking down the second stair case. He tugged my arm as I turned around to look into those jewelled eyes.

"It's okay, Aph. I can always paint another one." he smiled sadly.

We walked down the rest of the stairs and came to the dinning room where Aunty Monica and Uncle Peter were still talking to Mr. And Mrs. Robins.

"What do you have there honey?" Aunty Mary asked, referring to the canvas, I turning it over, and looked at Kyle.

"Paint spill." I muttered under my breath, and I headed for the garage. I could still feel Kyle still behind me, and I threw it into the main garbage can.

I could heard Aunty Mary telling Dan to have a shower, and for Amy to get ready for bed. I could tell Kyle was listening to everyone to, because he laughed a little when Aunty Monica and Uncle Peter shifted every so once and a while.

"What's it like?" I asked, "I mean, having cancer?" I looked at him, he looked very stunned at my question, but with no hesitation, he answered softly and clearly.

"I guess overwhelming, I mean, unexpected in a way, just like looking at the world with small-town eyes." He laughed. Smoothing his hands over the red of his chest.

"Oh, on the bright side, you are a really redneck." I said, looking around at the garage, there was only the truck in here, with some of Uncle M's tools.

Giving him a smile, we walked back into the house where Aunty Monica was getting up and tugging on Uncle Peter's sleeve, motioning it was time to leave.

"Are you guys leaving?" I asked once we came into full view, by this time uncle Peter was up, and past the table being lead by aunt Monica.

"Yes we are, dinner was so delicious, Aphrodite." aunty Monica smiled, as did uncle Peter. Elena peered from beside Danny, and followed her dad to the door. Before I knew it, everyone was outside saying their good-bye's and such, leaving me and Kyle in the kitchen. I started for the stairs, and Kyle walked beside me.

"You know, I have to tell you I have been painting pictures of-" He paused when I stopped. The sound of running, on my floor. As if some one was running down the hall. "What is it, Aph?" he asked, touching my arm lightly.

"Do you hear that?" I asked, looking at the gray worn-out ceiling. I stood there for a minute, just replaying everything. Over and over. _Thump thump thump._

"I didn't-" He took off his hand, pulling it back to his side. "are you okay?" He asked, as I looked at him, some weak bit of concern in his eyes.

"I know what I heard. I am _not-" _unable to find a word. I heard it again, this time it felt closer. _Thump thump thump._ I knew by this time that he had heard it too, by the way we just stood there. I jumped when the front door opened with the family walking in. I sighed and then walked up a few more steps until I came to my floor, hesitating on whether I would go in my room and just sit there.

"Do you mind if I use your wash room?" Kyle asked, his voice quivering.

"Yeah, yes, go ahead." I said in a quick rush, he half-ran to the closed door, and opened it with a swing, letting it fly open while he rushed to the toilet. Instead of tuning out his cries, I went up beside him, and slid my arms around his waist, and listened to his heart beat. He stood there for a second, and I pulled back when he moved to go wash his face and his hands. I handed him a towel, and he returned a little thanks and wiped his face.

"Are you okay?" I asked, eyeing his face. He set the towel neatly on the corner of the counter, then looked directly at me.

"Ha, I really wish people would stop asking me." He laughed a bit, in a weak voice. "I have to finish homework, you coming?"

I thought about this for a second, but I knew I couldn't do math, not in this house, are anywhere for that matter.

"Nah, I have something else I have to do." I opened the attic door for kyle, and then he went up the stairs. I listened to him move around for a bit, until he got settled, and walked into my own familiar room.

I got out the tube from the library, and pulled out the papers setting each one on my desk neatly. I studied all of the pictures, recognizing my face and all the familiar features. It was hard to look at these pictures, since I grew up with this face, it is now hard to believe it isn't mine.

Jessica looked so innocent, I felt horrible for her. I had a feeling, that I know who killed her. Phillip. It had to be, they weren't related, and I was sure they loved each other, but what if Phillip had some anger issues, and maybe Jessica didn't want them to be together...

My thoughts were growing with so many possibilities, I just couldn't but anything together to solve it.

I gave up around eleven when my eyes started to twitch, I could barely keep them open. I walked over to my wardrobe, opening it quietly. I took out a blue pair of PJ pants, and a white tee. I looked in the mirror as I changed, I bent over to pick up the pile of clothes I was wearing, only to drop them again when I looked back in the mirror, me; only it wasn't. In draping red clothes, hair tangled, and eyes darting through mine. Every movement I made, She mimicked me, as if she could tell what I was going to do. I stared into her eyes, those same scary looking, but also familiar blackness that now took over pretty much her whole eyeball, leaving black tears to fall. She studied me, as I did the same to her, it was odd looking at my old past, knowing it should have been over since I was only here to fulfil Jessica's rights. I noticed Jessica had the same scar on her arm as me, I had mine from when I was thrown into a sliding glass door. I remember feeling confused, considering I was by myself. She had the same sharp eye teeth, and lips that looked thin, and pale skin so florescent, I thought I was going insane.

I closed my eyes hard, knowing I can't face who I am, at least not yet anyways, and holding my eyelids hard, and thinking about Kyle.

When I opened them again, I was just staring back at my own scared face. Standing there for a second, only to regain my breath. When I felt good enough to move again, I opened the door, and mindlessly walked to my bathroom. I clicked on the light, and came to the counter, splashing freezing water onto my face. After I was done, I turned around to just stare at the closed door, eyeing it imagining it swinging open, and something coming in to hurt me.

And I scared myself when I saw the knob turn, but relaxed when I saw it was only Kyle on the other side.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" He said, slowly moving the door back, when I shoved my bare foot in between it and the door frame.

"No it's okay," I sighed, opening the door again, fast, so is he had to puke, it would take long for me to get out. "You go ahead, but what about your bath-" I started, but he was ahead of me.

"Sorry, my light burnt out, and no, I don't have to vomit, thanks for your concern." He smiled looking at his own pale feet.

"Oh, okay, here, I'll go check it out." I smiled, widening the door so he can get in, and so I can leave. He stopped me before I got past the frame.

"Thank-you" She said weakly. I swore my heart flipped for a second. I nodded, and he dropped his hand, allowing me to escape.

He closed the door, and I headed for his room. I had one of those feelings where I knew something would pop up at me, and scare me to death. Like there was some kind of force up there, that was trying to invite me in. As I got to the top, the first thing I saw was a glow from the far end, until I realized it was the bathroom light, which was supposed to be burnt. I tip-toed there and found the switch on the wall, and watching as the light flickered as I had commanded it to. "Huh" I mumbled. Taking my hand off, the lights flickered on it's own. I automatically looked into the mirror, like some magnetic pull was tugging at me to move my head there.

And I saw another dead person, only this one un-familiar. The face was blacked out, as well as the person's features. The head was tilted to one side, probably glaring back at me.

With another weak flicker, and the lights were on once again, only showing my own face, only this time, it was expressionless. I thought about it for a bit, I could have just been imagining it, I mean, that happens right?

As I pondered over the thought, Kyle was now right behind me.

"I swear, it was burnt out" He said, slowly sliding his fingers down the frame, his breath breezing over my neck.

"I know, I know." I replied too fast, sliding on my words. "I should go to bed, I am really tired." I flicked the light of, and it filled the room in darkness.

I turned around, and bumped into Kyle lightly, not really enough strength to make him move. "Sorry, I didn't-" I gasped through clenched teeth. He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was smiling. I could hear it in his voice.

"Yeah, I get it." He moved out of the way, but not fully leaving his spot. He caught my shoulder, and said a soft 'Good Night' and I went for the stairs, not even returning a 'bye'.

For some reason, I didn't go back to my room, it was like my feet lead me to the basement. I didn't realize where I was until I hit the last few rotten stairs at the bottom, leaving me in the cold heart of the house.

Danny's room door was shut, and his radio was playing softly. I made my way to that door, the one suppose to be a 'Storage' area. I grabbed the knob, it felt so cold in my hand. I twisted it open anyways, wanting to find out what was on the other side. It opened easily, as if it was inviting me in. I took the first few steps, not exactly knowing where I was, there was no light that I could find. After a while, I found a spidery chain that looked like it was coming from above me, and with one yank, light came flooding through the room.

The first thing I noticed were the piles of canvas' on the work bench, some with paint on it, and others blank. I walked over to one pile that was on the floor beside the table. The first one I saw was me by the hospital's window, looking over the town. Slowly running my hands down my hair, as I looked over my face, taking it all in.

It turns out there were a few of me, and it now made sense on why he'd never let me see his scrap book.

I turned around to the back of the room, where I saw a faceless person looking down, at the flooding floor, as a red liquid came from her feet, and made its way closer to me. The light flickered, and I felt scared. I was actually afraid, my heart was beating double-time; moving even faster every step it took.

By the time he or she was almost right in front of me, the lights flickered, and I dropped my eyes, closing them hard.

I opened them again after a few seconds, only to find myself alone, looking at the normal room. Only it wasn't completely normal, there was a few drops of a red liquid on the floor. Knowing what it was, I took one of Kyle's old paint brush, and poked the blood, and watching it as it stuck to the brush. I put it on the top of the book shelf, knowing he hasn't really been in here for a while, and with me here, he wouldn't take the risk with me there, right?

I clicked off the lights, and quietly shutting the door behind me, I went up the stairs hoping Danny was a heavy sleeper, and he was. I crept back up the stairs to the main floor and I stopped for no reason, I realized after when I heart almost a running foot pattern on the upper floor, along with a loud creak went through the whole house. I just started to walk, knowing that it was probably just me being tired, I mean it was know, like two thirty in the morning. I must have been going crazy by now. I went into the bathroom by the front door.

The door opened with an old sounding creak, and the light switch flicked on without my touch. I smiled, thinking that for once, this curse might actually be a good thing. I pulled my hair back into a pony, and played with the big curly ring my hair formed, thinking about why I was looking through Jessica's perspective, I knew this wasn't supposed to be mine. But I was happy about it, if this hadn't happen, I could be completely different.

I wasn't looking forward to morning, I figured I was going to feel like crap, as to my lack of sleep. I felt like a mindless zombie. I wasn't even thinking at this point. I stepped out of the bathroom, and climbed the stairs to my room, coming into the dark room, I slid under the covers wrapping myself in my own sent, and I dreamed about Kyle, thinking of him, I thought of the many possible ways he would first tell me that he loved me, and how some how he would save me, instead of my holding him alive. Which my mind always came to. With the weight of the world on me, I just dreamed.

The bell rung, as it did, I was wondering what I did before it was like there was a gap in my memory. The sun was brightly shining from the windows, shining on my face. It felt so nice, I haven't felt this happy since I was a child. I smiled out, reaching for something in front of me. Everyone was glaring and laughing at me. I was confused but I knew I needed that something. When I felt his shoulders, I cried happily. Flooding out my thoughts and feelings, when I was talking, it seemed as if I was trying to talk with a pillow on my face, fuzzy like an out of tune radio.

Clinging to his body, I noticed that everyone disappeared and that Kyle wasn't wincing away from my touch.

He didn't say anything, he just listened to my pleads, and my 'I love you's' The sun set, and the night sky took over, the moon shining into now what was a field with willow trees. He never spoke, even after I started to yell, I felt let down, sunken, like a war ship that had just been shot. I was now falling. All I wanted was to be held, and loved like any other person. But I knew if I loved Kyle, then I would have to live, knowing that he might not always be here. My body tensed as I saw him, on the floor of a dark hall, a red light at the end of it. The hall was deserted, he was shirtless, wearing dark blue pants. His head was tilted up towards the ceiling, and his hair flipped and curled cutely. But instead of staring at him, looking cuter than before I was running, un-happy, I had a weird feeling in, like as if he wasn't okay, but I knew he wasn't considering he was on his back and quite frankly not breathing. I saw myself bent over him, and crying.

I took his hand, and actually feeling him grab me back, I thought all my words I was about to blurt out, I had to tell him before he died. I blinked, and finally figured out this was all a dream. I shook out the feeling of me actually living those moments. I realized what my hand was wrapped around, Kyle was there, smiling at my confused face.

"Good morning, and Happy birthday!" I blurted out, I actually forgot, it's like it came out like word vomit. My voice was surprisingly good, considering it totally didn't feel like mine, and usually I sound like crap in the morning.

"Good morning to you to, and thank you!" He laughed.


End file.
